Next week John Axelrod will be conducting Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai in Torino for two extremly interesting projects.

On Thursday 8 February, for the first time at Auditorium Rai, a symphonic concert will become also a ballett, starring Roberto Bolle in Apollon Musagète byIgor Stravinskij. The project is produced in collaboration with Teatro alla Scala in Milan and it will be brodcasted on Italian tv channel Rai 5 on the 8th March.In the second part, John Axelrod will conduct the Orchestra Rai in a "dance program" including works by Gluck and Stravinskij. http://www.orchestrasinfonica.rai.it/articoli/roberto-bolle%C2%A0per-la-prima-volta-allauditorium-rai-con%C2%A0apollon-musagète/39685/default.aspx

On Sunday 11 February John Axelrod will be also conducting the traditional Carnival Concert of Orchestra Rai, involving for the first time the famous duo Igudesman & Joo with their show A Big Nightmare Music, where some very famous classical works are ironically "revised", involving also some members of the orchestra. In th second half, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche by Richard Strauss, Flowers Waltz by Pëtr Il’ Čajkovskij and the Ouverture and Can Can from Orphée aux Enfers by Jacques Offenbach will complete the Carnival Concert program, live broadcasted on Rai-Radio 3.http://www.orchestrasinfonica.rai.it/articoli/il-debutto-di-igudesman-e-joo-per-il-concerto-di-carnevale/39745/default.aspx

A bridge between the great classical music of the past and the art of the present: this is the goal of the composer Fabio Vacchi, who wrote a Sonata for pianist Andrea Lucchesini.In the récital, Lucchesini will propose this new composition, making it dialogue with Bach, Clementi and Scarlatti.

Beginning on Saturday 27 January, the first edition of the "String Quartet Biennale" in Amsterdam will take place at the prestigious Muziekgebouw, which will host concerts, lectures and masterclasses dedicated to the string quartet world.Among the ensambles invited to the first edition of the Festival, also Quartetto di Cremona, Emerson String Quartet, Hagen Quartet and Quartetto Quiroga.

For a whole week Amsterdam will be the capital city of the string quartet.More info here.

Congratulations to Krystian Zimerman and Quartetto di Cremona, awarded with the ICMA 2018 (International Classical Music Awards).Krystian Zimerman wins the prize in the category "solo instrument" with his latest CD dedicated to Schubert (DG).The Quartetto di Cremona is awarded in the category "chamber music" for both Volume N.7 and N.8 of their Beethoven Cycle (Audite).The Award Ceremony and Gala Concert will take place on April 6 at the magnificent concert hall of the National Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Radio in Katowice, conducted by Alexander Liebreich.